Modern versions of field games, such as "Capture the Flag", and other strategic pursuit activites utilize paint pellets discharged from a gun as a visual indicator of a "hit" on a player or target. Typically, these paint pellets are spherical projectiles formed of jelled paint that are launched or fired from pistols and rifles powered by a compressed gas, such as CO.sub.2. Jelled paint pellets are loaded into a gun individually through a loading tube. In order to avoid permanent marking of an object or a player, and to avoid permanent damage to the environment, these paint pellets are typically formed of water soluble paint jell that is hardened into a round ball.
A serious danger in the use of these jelled paint pellets is the injury that can occur if the paint pellet is accidentally discharged at close range to another player. Because these jelled paint pellets are relatively hard and are dishcarged at several hundred feet per second, they can easily penetrate an eye, enter the mouth, or cause other serious injury. While most all guns used with paint pellets have safety devices on their triggers that prevent pulling of the trigger when the safety device is on, there are many times when it is not practical to have the safety device on or when it is accidentally left off. Consequently, there is a need in the art for a safety cap that can be quickly and easily placed over the discharge end of the gun barrel and cover the end of the barrel with a screen mesh or similar type of filaments such that when a jelled paint pellet is unintentionally discharged from the gun barrel, it will fragment as it passes through the mesh and disperse in the air. Furthermore, it is desirable that such a device prevent jamming of the gun barrel with fragmented paint by allowing substantially all of the jelled paint pellet to exit the gun barrel as it passes through the safety cap device.